Since saying "Getting old sucks" would make me feel worse,

I'll just say I don't recover as fast as I used to.

If I hadn't decided before this fair to tell the director this was my last one, the way I feel now would make me call her. All I did yesterday was unload and put stuff away, but my hands are still aching. Combine the touch of arthritis with hammering & tonging and cold and high winds... damn.

You know, stop doing something because you're tired of it, you're done, whatever, is one thing; having to stop because the body doesn't handle the stress well anymore, well, that just sucks.

Yes, I am bitching and whining about it.

I'm going to keep doing some smithing, as time & conditions allow, but the heavy stuff is either going to be few & far between, or only if I can get someone to use the sledge to help out; which means no more damascus, unless it's little billets.

Back to the weather, it was a hard freeze last night. I think I've lost one pepper and maybe two tomatoes over the last week or so; one of the tomatoes may not be dead, I'll give it a couple of days to see. It warmed up into the low 60's today, and is supposed to be warmer the next couple of days; no more freezes in sight according to the weather weenies. And today some visitors showed up in numbers:
The hollies were flat alive with them. Last year didn't see many, but they seem to be back. Which is nice, since they seem to have a home somewhere that does not involve my house. In a hive out back, sure, but not in the wall or something.

I cleaned and oiled the leather yesterday, and wiped all the blades with Eezox, so I need to put all that stuff up. Amuse yourselves while I'm gone.